New Jersey teen locked in police van for 15 hours files suit

Fort Lee – Adam Kim, who was 17 when he was locked in a police van for 15 hours, has filed a lawsuit claiming the experience left him traumatised.

Adam Kim’s clash with police officers followed his presence at a party. NBC reported that around midnight on March 25, 2011 police officers responded to calls that a house party was overly noisy. Adam claims that he and others were racially abused by the officers who responded to the call. 14 teenagers, including Mr Kim were then placed in a police van. At no time during all of this were any of the teens told why they were being arrested, nor were they read their rights. Ten of them were put in two separate cages in the van. The remaining four were seated. Taken to police headquarters on arrival all but five of the teens were led into the building. The others, mostly of Asian ethnic origin, remained in the locked van.

Here they stayed for 15 hours, with no food, water nor bathroom access, until a passer-by raised the alarm. Kim alleges they were ignored by officers who returned to the van to respond to calls. The five teenagers were provided with food and water, plus medics were called after the passer-by had raised the alarm. The night temperature was cold and the five teens hardly dressed for the weather. According to NBC Kim was only wearing a T Shirt.